Text 7 my friend

Exercise 1. Read the text and do the exercises.

To begin with, a man can have different friends. The English say that the man’s best friend is his dog. Sometimes we say that books are our best friends. I know a few people for whom books are the best and the only friends.

I think I am not a person who makes friends too quickly or too easily. I fully agree that the old friend is better than the two new ones. I am loyal to the friends I make and I expect the same loyalty in turn. It takes a lot to shake my trust in my friends, but equally it takes me a long time to get over it if that trust is shaken.

I should like to stress that a real friend is not only a playfellow or a helpmate. As the proverb puts it, a friend in need is a friend indeed. To my mind, a friend is a person dear to you, whom you trust and respect. It is said that the way to have a friend is to be one. In my opinion, it is a just statement.

I am lucky to have got such a friend as Helen. I made friends with her in the kindergarten and our friendship has been lasting since.

At first I should like to tell you a few words about Helen’s appearance. She is a very good-looking girl, with beautiful blond hair which she usually wears parted in the middle. Her bright wide-opened hazel eyes add to her attraction.

You need just to have a look at her to understand that she is a kind, sincere and open-hearted. She is lively, amusing and always interesting. She is constantly the centre of attention, but she is sufficiently well-balanced not to let it go to her head. If she promises something she always keeps her word. I am sure she will never let me down.

We have many common interests. We both like reading books, going to the theatre, playing badminton. We both dream to become physicians. Moreover, our tastes do not differ; in fact they are the same.

Lena often helps me with my maths as she does better than me at school. She is very good at all the school subjects but Physics, and I am glad I can help her to solve the problems.

Sometimes she is too quick to get angry and too slow to cool down. When she loses her temper, it is better to keep away from her. In fact any person has certain drawbacks, and neither she nor I are the exceptions from this general rule. But we do our best not to permit them to interfere with our friendship which I hope will last forever.

Exercise 2. Make up word combinations with the words: eyes, hair, a friend.

Use the following words: real, blond, new, wide-opened, best, hazel, blue, old, dark, strait, curly, kind.

Exercise 3. Fill in the prepositions.

1) To begin_____. 2) I am loyal____the friends 3) I expect the same loyalty___turn. 4)It takes me a lot of time to get____ it. 5) A friend___need is a friend indeed. 6)___my opinion. 7) I made friend___her. 8) She is a very good-lookihg girl___blond hair. 9) She is the centre___attention. 10) She will never let me___ . 11) We both like going___ the theatre. 12) She helps me___Maths. 13) She does better than me___ school. 14) She is good___all subjects.

Exercise 4. Find in the text the words and word combinations which will help you to describe man’s character, appearance and his favorite occupation.

Exercise 5. Translate into English.

Лучший друг, единственный друг, подружиться, слишком быстро и легко; старый друг лучше новых двух; мне требуется много времени чтобы…;я бы хотел подчеркнуть; доверять и уважать; по моему мнению; сначала я бы хотел; всегда держит своё слово; хорошо успевать в школе.

Exercise 6. Write down a plan of the text.

Exercise 7. Render the text according to the plan.

Exercise 8. Topics for discussion:

1. What kind of people do you consider to be attractive?

2. A real friend, who is it?

Text 8

Exercise 1. Read the dialogue, pay attention to the usage of the underlined words and expressions. Translate the dialogue.

Kate: Hello, Ann!

Ann: Hello, Kate. Haven't seen you for ages. Meet my fellow student Lena.

Kate: How do you do! Glad to meet you, Lena. Are you from St. Petersburg?

Lena: No, I'm from Moscow. My family lives there now.

Kate: Do you live in the hall of residence or rent a room?

Lena: Neither. I live at my sister's. She has a nice three-room flat not far from the center of the city

Kate: You are lucky. Is your sister married?

Lena: Oh, yes. She is married and has got a daughter already.

Kate: What is her husband?

Lena: He is a manager.

Kate: And is your sister also a manager?

Lena: Oh, no, she is a teacher of English.

Kate: Is she fond of her job?

Lena: I suppose, she is. She is fond of children and is very good at handling them. And are you fond of St.Petersburg, Kate?

Kate: Yes, I am. All my family lives in St. Petersburg.

Lena: And is it a large family?

Kate: Rather. We are five: my parents, a grand­mother, my younger brother and me.

Lena: Does your grandmother work?

Kate: No, she is a retired pensioner. She is over sixty. But she does a lot of housework.

Lena: Is your brother still at school?

Kate: Yes, he is. He is leaving school this year. He is seventeen.

Lena: What is he going to be?

Kate: His dream is to be an actor. He is a great theatre-lover.

Exercise 2. Fill in the missed expressions.

Mary: Hello, Nick!

Nick: ____, Marry! I____________for ages! ______________student Peter.

Marry: ________! Glad _____,Peter.

Peter: How_____! I_____Moscow. My family lives there now.

Mary: Do you live in__________ or ____ a room?

Peter:_______. I live at________. She has got a flat not_________ the university.

Mary: You are lucky. Is your sister_____?

Peter: Oh, yes. She is______. She_______ a son.

Mary: ___ is her husband?

Peter: He is a doctor.

Mary: And _____ is your sister?

Peter: She is a teacher. She is_____of children. She is good __ ____ them. Mary, do you live with your family?

Mary: Yes. We have___ a cottage not_______ the city.

Peter: Is your family_____?

Mary: Yes, it is. We___5: my parents, a grandfather, my younger sister and me.

Peter: Does your grandfather work?

Mary: No, he is _______. He is____60.

Peter: Is your sister still at____?

Marry:Yes. She is_______school this year.

Peter: What is she_______to be?

Mary: Her dream is to be an ecologist. She is a great nature-lover.

Exercise 3. Make up your own dialogue.